‘AUDIO DAY DREAM’

‘AUDIO DAY DREAM’

Blake Lewis (Arista Records)

Grade: B+

Much of bubbly Blake Lewis’ screen time on “American Idol” was spent struggling to fit the roundedness of his motley mix-tape aesthetic into square songs from mature artists. With the harsh reality of that reality TV competition behind him, this “Idol” second place finisher is now liberated to enchant with his own “Audio Day Dream.” And he does. Mostly. The radio-friendly fantasy begins with some hip-hop stained songs that, at least musically, are as curiously pleasing as the blond boy wonder’s streaky dye job. The album’s lyrics, which seem like they’re all directed at one woman (or several women, perhaps), are primitive yet passable for inoffensive pop. Thanks to super-producers like Jonathan “J.R.” Rotem and Ryan “Alias” Tedder, everything on “Audio Day Dream” is completely original. That’s right. You won’t find Lewis’ bizarre rendition of The Supremes’ “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” here, although he does successfully shoehorn baseline inspiration from Irving Berlin’s “Puttin’ on the Ritz” into the mega-charged “Gots to Get Her.” Lewis makes the best use of his skills — signature scatting on the break-up letter “How Many Words,” infectious falsetto on the synthy “Surrender” and a penchant for oscillating arrangements on “What’cha Got 2 Lose,” co-written by Rotem and Lewis’ “Idol” B.F.F. Chris Richardson. Surprisingly, the beatboxing that made Lewis stand out from the “Idol” crowd is simply splashed throughout the 14 songs and is only predominantly featured on one track, the unremarkable “Bshorty Grabs Mic!” Such a lack of spit might leave some Bshorty fans craving ma-ma-ma-ma-more.

—Derrik J. Lang, Associated Press

‘ALIVE 2007’

Daft Punk (Virgin)

Grade: B

Electronic dance music is like soccer: absolutely massive in the rest of the world, and still stuck in a niche in the U.S.A. But with homages like LCD Soundsystem’s “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House” and Kanye West’s “Stronger,” which is built on the foundation of Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” the French duo of Guy Manuel de Homem Christo and Thomas Bangalter would seem to be poised for a major breakthrough. Whether or not that actually occurs for the knob-twiddling duo, it isn’t for lack of trying. “Alive 2007” is a crazily kinetic live album that’s missing only the artificial stimulants and the jacked-up light show. It’s loaded with powerful House/robot beats. Along with enough crowd noise to suggest that you’re taking part in a human experience, and not just a mechanical one.

—Dan DeLuca, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘FRANK’

Amy Winehouse (Universal Republic)

Grade: B

The new Amy Winehouse album is an old Amy Winehouse album. Her British debut, a hit across the pond in 2003, is finally being issued here by Universal to get fresh product on the shelves in time for the holiday season. And though “Frank” is not as seasoned as Winehouse’s breakout, “Back to Black,” it confirms her talent as a songwriter and vocalist, and then some. Without the conceptual glue of Mark Ronson’s smartly retro R&B production moves, this earlier disc — more stylistically varied and less cohesive — shows Winehouse leaning more toward jazz, on “Moody’s Mood for Love” and “In My Bed.” But Winehouse’s dark, droll and often self-critical sense of humor is already evident, as is her sexy, smoky, soulful voice, on standouts such as the wicked “F--- Me Pumps” and the plaint “What Is It About Men.”

—Dan DeLuca, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘HVART/HEIM’

Sigur Ros (XL)

Grade: B

These two 35-minute EPs, conjoined in one package, coincide with Sigur Ros’ performance film, “Heima.” That they are in part stopgaps does not diminish the power of their strange and beautiful music. “Heim” (”home,” in the band’s native Icelandic) contains six live acoustic renditions of previously released compositions, with the string quartet Amiina substituting for Jonsi Birgisson’s trademark bowed electric guitar. The emphasis is on dreamy reveries rather than the cathartic climaxes that are Sigur Ros’ specialty. “Hvart” (”haven” or “disappeared”) compiles new recordings: two songs from the band’s first album, “Von,” and three unreleased older compositions. In the pulsing “Hljomalind,” one can understand why Radiohead was an early supporter of the band. And the nearly 10-minute “Hafsol” is stunning: a shivering bass, a droning bowed guitar, and Birgisson’s angelic, keening falsetto build to an orchestral anthem with pizzicato strings and thunderous percussion.

—Steve Klinge, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘THE BOATLIFT’

Pitbull (TVT)

Grade: B

Under the rubric of Pitbull, Cuban/Floridian rapper and producer Armando Perez is working crunk and reggaeton. He’s done it G-funk slow, East Coast hard, and Southern slurrylike. From the diversity of atmospheres and dramas on “The Boatlift,” it’s obvious he’s not picking out favorites anytime soon. He even dabbles in slick R&B (”Secret Admirer”) and heaving techno (”The Anthem”). Few MCs do any of these forms well, but Pitbull makes them all effortless. His is a swaggering casual cool — a relaxed-fit Nas without the poetry — even when raging through “Ying & the Yang” and stretching his crooning chops on “Stripper Pole.”

Sure, he can sound boastful (especially on “Go Girl” and “Fuego”), but Pitbull can back it up.

—A.D. Amorosi, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘LONG TIME COMING’

Nappy Brown (Blind Pig)

Grade: B+

One of the big R&B shouters and proto-soul men of the 1950s, Nappy Brown hasn’t been heard from in quite a while. But from the moment he launches into the jump-blues of “Keep on Pleasin’ You,” one of a handful of his vintage Savoy sides he reprises here, it’s obvious the 78-year-old singer has not been wasting away.

The appropriately titled “Long Time Coming” finds Brown in exceptionally vital form. Leading a smoking band that features sympatico young guitarist Sean Costello on most tracks (fellow aces Junior Watson, Bob Margolin and Kid Ramos also appear), Brown does a lot of his usual houserocking, combining gruff power with a colorfully lighthearted touch when necessary. He’s also a balladeer with a remarkably clear tone on numbers seductive (”Cherry Red”) and soaring (”Give Me Your Love”), and he closes by going back to his gospel roots for “Take Care of Me.”

—Nick Cristiano, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘SINCE THE LAST TIME’

Arrested Development (Vagabond)

Grade: C+

Since the last time Arrested Development was making positive waves in hip-hop — standing in pointed contrast to the negative themes and images of gangsta rap — the bad guys won. In the 15 years since the Atlanta-based act had hit singles with “Tennessee,” “People Everyday” and “Mr. Wendal,” rap has pretty much frittered away into frivolity and filth. Add to that the genre’s increasing struggle to maintain its relevance, and rap would seem ripe for Arrested Development’s return with “Since the Last Time.” Frontman Speech hasn’t changed much over the years — he’s still pushing upbeat messages about community and culture (with a bit of self-righteousness). And the music is still groove-oriented and perhaps even more freeform than in the past. Warmth radiates from “Since the Last Time,” with shuffling jams and soulful vocals (including a cast of women singers, plus kids on the droll “I Know I’m Bad”) supporting Speech as he muses on interracial romances (”Sunshine”), white flight (”It’s Time”) and beliefs in general (“Stand”).

—Chuck Campbell, Knoxville (Tenn.) News-Sentinel